Dera Bassi, August 30: Panic gripped Kuranwala village near Dera Bassi here on Wednesday after 12 persons were taken ill due to an outbreak of diarrhoea. The outbreak is being attributed to contaminated water.
Worried residents took their kin, who were complaining of stomach ache and diarrhoea, to the local Civil Hospital where a majority of the patients were administered glucose.
Sources at the Civil Hospital said villagers, including women and children, with complaints of vomiting and loose motions started coming to the hospital on Tuesday night.
At least 12 persons complaining of vomiting and loose motions were examined by a team of medical experts, led by the District Epidemiologist, Dr Deepti, at a camp organised in the village here on Wednesday.
Of the screened patients, four were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi, on Wednesday. Two of them, including four-year-old Khushboo, were referred to the GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh.
Meanwhile, villagers claimed that an 11-year-old boy, Ankit, died of diarrhoea on Wednesday morning.
Residents said Ankit had been suffering from loose motions and vomiting for the past several days and was taking medicines for diarrhoea from a private practitioner.
On Wednesday, his condition deteriorated and he died of diarrhoea, they said.
The District Epidemiologist, who visited the village, said the reason behind Ankit’s death was not clear. She said when a team of medical experts visited the house of the deceased, it was locked. She said the team would again visit the house to ascertain the cause of the death.
Dr Deepti said besides stool samples, health officials had collected water samples, which had been sent to the lab.
Meanwhile, a medical camp was organised at the village during which a health team distributed ORS sachets and medicines among the patients.
Residents were also sensitised to the importance of maintaining hygiene in and around their houses. Besides, they were also made aware of the preventive steps to be taken in case of vomiting and diarrhoea, the District Epidemiologist said.
Health officials said the consumption of contaminated water might have led to the outbreak, but they were investigating other reasons as well.
The health team, which visited the village on Wednesday, found residents living in unhygienic conditions with garbage scattered at several places. Besides, the team found water accumulated at a few spots, posing a health risk.
Source Tribune India
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